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Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
Absolute masterpiece with most depth in vision and story
I loved this installment, too pity it is in two parts, and thank god it is as it is a complex story that needs proper unfolding. At the same time it is an analogy of our world today and that took guts, which I admire and give it even extra credits for!
It didn't miss a beat in being a proper MI movie, amazing stunt work as always, so much so we even get a bit blase about it at times; "oh, he jumped of a ridge with a motorbike" or a locomotive plummeted to its last resting place several hundreds of feet below, vertical climbing within train wagons etc. But nothing feels contrived, everything has a function in the story, adds to the tension without ever being overblown despite the massive undertakings. It is really well done and those who complain about character development, we have come to know Ethan Hunt over the previous installments of MI, now we see him apply all his skills, and an added bonus of human interest with his female characters including the loss of life and his internal burning desire to finish it all once and for all. And we get to know the rest of the crew and their sacrifice as well, so overall I found it very rewarding, both in character, motivation and perseverance to be a believable undertaking and I eagerly await the second part of Dead Reckoning! Absolutely stunning and rewarding film to watch!
Boss Level (2020)
Frank Grillo's best movie, and overall a superb film, gorgeously executed!
I, like many other viewers, gravitate towards Frank Grillo. He scratches an itch only a few still can, and he does it with an ease and confidence, on par with the Bruce Willis of old. He is that good. Maybe even better. In the right context, he can easily carry a movie all the way to the end. Boss Level is the best example and in my opinion, his best movie until now. He deserves more great scripts like these. As supporting actor, like in Warrior, he is convincing too, adds gravitas to the scenes, but he clearly is a leading man. And unfortunately too often overlooked and I don't get it! He is easily as good or better than some actors who are in the limelight right now.
This movie starts as a superficial action flick, on purpose because together with the protagonist we make an emotional deep dive throughout the repetition of days to figure out, well to figure out whatever it is that he is supposed to do there. The slow reveal is so well done, the emotional investment and discovery, and emotional attachment are so huge, in pivotal scenes it brought tears to my eyes! It is so well done! Heartbreakingly beautiful, heartstoppingly pumped and very very funny without diminishing any of the aforementioned qualities.
I have watched this movie a thousand times, and it never tires, it always delivers and the kid, man, he is amazing. When checking the cast list, I found out it was, well is, Frank Grillo's son, Rio Grillo. Absolutely amazing and it explains the real love Frank radiates in the scenes with his kid, which actually is his actual kid.
Damn, what a magnificent movie! If you haven't, go watch it, NOW! Trust me...
The Channel (2023)
Gritty "realistic" heist movie - Loved it. Ignore the low scores, really
I think it is a solid 8/10 movie, not a B movie at all as I came across in other reviews. At least, lets stay humble, IMHO. It is well paced, it is a tense thriller, well shot, well acted and even though the story line isn't breaking any new grounds, it is compellingly told and I genuinely enjoyed the time spent with this movie and would even watch it again in a few months time! It really is worth your time.
There are some memorable moments in the movie, which underscore the acting chops of the actors involved: the scene of one of the robbers at home with his kid and at handing over to the babysitter (his mother in law I think), the shootout at the bank is very well done, the sounds of the bullets ripping through cars and the 3D sound effects of rapid fire is impactful. The fear of the girlfriend when they are held hostage by the money laundering goon, fear to be tortured with Hydrofluoric Acid, is one of the most convincing fear induced scenes I have seen in a long time.
The ending is.satisfying as well, although not as tightly knit as i would have expected compared to the rest of the film, but nonetheless it was a good ending.
Go watch it, you will not be disappointed.
The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
Amazing 2nd installment of the bourne franchise
I have watched the entire series so many times, and it really never gets old. Even literally! The acting is supreme, as is the camera work, the sound track, the action, fight sequences, the emotions and interactions, thanks to a marvellous script and the overarching vision of greengrass for his story arch for the novels of Ludlum.
The first Bourne was overwhelmingly well done, but the sequel is even better thans te first. Nothing about this sequel feels contrived, on the contrary. You actually need this movie to appreciate the first and basically 1 through 3 are a mini series you need to watch in its entirety.
The human element is not a gimmick but an actual part of the story and the level of emotional investment of all the characters makes this so much more than an action movie. This drama is so fulfilling to experience, I simply can't get enough of it, never getting tired of watching these pieces of cinematic art given to us by Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon.
I want to mention two scenes, even though it is totally unfair to all the jewels in this movie. But at the end of the movie there is a car chase to brutal, so visceral, it is almost too much to bare but you're glued to your seat the entire time, to then almost instantaneously merge into this introspective and extremely empathic and for Bourne penance like confession to the daughter of his first ever target he orphaned when he decided to not pull out of the assignment. I cried. After the so many times I watched this movie, it still hits you in the gut. Amazing work. Art.
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022)
What a marvellous movie! This is what cinema is all about, riveting, exquisite, honest, and in your face
I will try to limit the spoilers, but I am so in awe of this movie, it might prove too hard.
Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack play the main characters in this movie. I knew nothing about this movie, other than the obvious baseline, older woman, much younger sex worker.
First, Emma Thompson; we all know how good she is, but this movie is on a whole other level. She has to face her own mortality, as an actress no less, withstand the peer pressure, ignore the relentless pressure of living up to all sorts of beauty standards, the list goes on of all the internal battles she must have fought to be able to play her part as realistically as she has. It really is overwhelming at times, so confronting my own daemons watching her, and I'm a man! Let alone a woman who watches this movie, the impact this movie must have. Exceptional. And beautiful, so relatable, as a human being, and you really realize acting is a craft, a gift, both for the actor as well as for us; and I love her for that.
Now, Daryl McCormack; Those eyes!! They are not just simply stunning, and yes, I can see that too. But the expression in them, his honesty, his freedom in acting, the translation of this role in front of the camera, is so absolutely bafflingly good! I can't even start to think what it must mean to play the part of a sex worker, open yourself up to that line of work, emotionally, to allow it to enter your conscious, go through all the stigma's it has in the world, make it your own, and make it bigger than life by staying absolutely and unquestionably human, and being able to give that role the depth it deserves, my mind was blown. The back and forth in his inner dialogue whenever she pulled away, his internal fight between the person and the professional, as in the end the person lends its physical representation to the professional to do its job and all the intricate layers of that conversation in his head, I could follow it almost word for word thanks to his amazing ability to display all that through his nonverbal communication.
Freaking amazing movie. They played so well off of each other, and they couldn't be further apart, neither the characters in the film nor the actors portraying these heroes on the screen. Yet no one could have told the story the way they did, and it was stunning, easily the best movie I have seen in ages!
Cruella (2021)
Stellar performance by Emma Stone!
The ratings for a change are completely on point. The movie is so well made, at times it reminded me of the Devil wears Prada, not just because it revolves around fashion, but the evil stepmother persona is similarly well done, in this case by Emma Thompson. But her namesake, Emma Stone, she blew me away! Throughout the film, playing a kind of jackal and hide, she was riveting all the way but where the two merge, where she has to accept her offspring being from hell rather than heaven, and i state it so much more cliche than the movie is entitled to, is simply put breathtaking! The monologue, (at 1:30:00) where she talks to her mother, the one we all thought was her mother upto that point, the monologue is only 30 percent the words she speaks. Her facial expressions, the nonverbal part, does most of the work and is a dagger straight into your heart. What a performance! Easily one of the best moments in movie history in my book, it really is that good! If you haven't yet, please go watch the movie!
Black Widow (2021)
Absolutely most engaging of the whole lot ~ in-your-face woman-centric piece of art
And yes any pun you can come up with, it will wear as a badge of honor. It's woman-centric and a solid counter balance for all the explosive rich substance less fodder the industry has been churning out. Whether it is from the music industry, movie industry, fashion, anything that needs to be sold to the masses really, stoops to a certain knuckle dragging level I no longer call artistic integrity.
This is Lara Croft on steroids. Not for their physique, but for the backstory, the abuse, the very deeply personal skin they all have in the game, and how it is being played out throughout the movie.
The cast is mesmerizingly impressive. I love Rachel Weisz, as always, and she plays a perfectly detached, soviet fueled functional spy, technocrat san impathy, her hubby same thing, only eyes for the party and its objectives. The girls, who will become the protagonists of the story, start as collateral damage. The trauma it has on them is so relatable, so well translated in the small things through which children experience the world, it is breathtakingly gruesome even though there is not an ounce of blood spilled. And it sets the stage perfectly for both the kids and their individual developments! And true to life the impact it has on them is extremely well founded in different age groups and what a trauma does to a child and how they cope with it. All this results in a 6.9?! Really?! It should be so much higher, as this is an intrinsically humane story and instead of inhibiting them reg, their avenger status, it elevates them to a level they operate in that surpasses most of the other Avenger characters!
The humor, lets not call it black comedy, but whatever it is, and it is hilarious, matches the dark undertones of their shared backstory. Their fallible relationship with the world, fueled again by that trauma, drives them through the movie, and it never gets old, never wears thin. It is eloquently translated, hidden but tangibly there for you to taste: tqhe bitterness, the sand between your grinding teeth.
The power of the story comes from the small minute things in life which define us. When they finally meet their "mother" again, you feel the thick wet blanket of soul ache when the kids, now adults size up the house she lives in, the coziness she should have provided her kids, she accepted responsibility for to than cast them aside once the assignment was over. The automatic reversal in their old roles from when they were still a family,, just like how it would happen to me and you, falling back in old patterns, parent child power plays etc. It is all there, and it all supports the story so well there is no gap, no missed opportunity, no easy way out, it is all confronted head on in the movie as it all is required for them to move forward.
If you would like to compare it to a movie, even though they are two completely different beasts, on all accounts, it is most reminiscent of Joker, it is that good!
Memory (2022)
Dark, disturbing, introspective and slightly claustrofobic. Acting meanders in and out of B territory
I needed some time adjusting to the acting skills by some members of the cast, some of which can be attributed to the director I assume, given the A listed protagonists who at times even flustered in their acting chops.
But overall the story is intense, shocking on for me personally two different levels. One, of course the degenerates abusing minors, the other, a main character with advanced alzheimers... I don't come across movies that play so close to home concerning my personal fears. But this one does and it took me some time to settle in. That is where the claustrophobic reference comes in, the narrowing down of his mental state is played very well by Liam Neeson, ot the point I had to gasp for air even.
Guy Pearse, who plays a really great role which might be too understated for some, but I think he did an excellent job here, plays opposite an old role of himself, Memento, which must have bean deliberate, or at least not entirely accidental. Guy Pierce plays his role so well, I haven't seen great cop translations onto the screen sinvce Hill Street Blues. It is that raspy, grainy and very intimate, without ever really delving into his personal traumas. Both Liam Neeson and Guy Pierce carry the movie, the supporting cast is simply not good enough. But both the story line, the dearing vantage point, the rest of the execution of the movie and those two actors for me lift this movie to a solid 8.
No B movie; unfortunately despite the supporting cast I have to say. Too many daytime TV drama quality, which maybe is a harsh judgement; all I'm trying to do is find a description of what bugged me with the supporting cast. Thanks to the two A-listers they get the chance to play off of them and at times they too meander into A territory. So for them this must have been a great masterclass.
If you are willing and able to forfeit your criteria on some levels, and focus on these two guys and the story-line, you definitely will enjoy this movie for all the good stuff it has to offer.
Men in Black³ (2012)
Beautifully told story, well crafted time warps with surprisingly touching final
I don't recall anything from MIIB, I do remember MIB though and I definitely remember MB3. The first installment and the last one are so funny and so well done, I have re-watched them both several times. And even though I know the story by now, I am still happily surprised by both and still glued to my seat every time I put either one in the DVD player (this must be as archaic to some as their analogue cousins VHS and records; I experienced all three very intensely, I'm glad to say!)
The premise in itself is not that original, but as usual, it all comes down to the details and how the story is being told. This time, MIB3 is an iteration of time travel and the underlying syncronicities that made it a surprisingly fun, mostly lightweight but at the end surprisingly emotional ending that feels very fulfilling and wraps up the MIB franchise quite beautifully.
It is all there, the dry sometimes slapstick-ish humor of Will Smith, his oneliner delivery is spot on as always. Josh Brolin is actually almost more perfect than Tommy Lee Jones in his translation of Tommy Lee Jones translation of his main character...they too are spot on and the match between them is really perfectly executed. Boris, played by Jermain Clement is suitably disgusting as the villain and the quality of the props to make you believe you are in the past with all the time specific artifacts like the "big ass neurolyzer" make you happily join them on the time jump without ever being challenged in suspending your disbelief.
Well crafted, well told and spotless acting delivers a movie that I have watched now too many times to count and every damn time my eyes well up at the end. You will see why if you are one of those few people who haven't watched this movie yet. Do it, well worth your time!
The Night Manager (2016)
Impressive mini series, modern day spy tale
It was an epic series to watch; maybe I'm biased because I watched a classic dvd box set rather than streaming, and not on a pc but on a proper screen. But t think I might be alone in watching it on tv being the anomaly.
Ever since 24 series have gotten as good as movies, with both actors and budgets on par of even surpassing movie budgets and popularity. I think it is well deserved for a medium that has been in the dog house until only quite recently.
This series is no exception. Both Lauroe and Hiddleston are exquisite in their roles; Hugh Laurie is very, very convincing on his role as the scrupulous arms dealer; the backstory which unfolds about him is told very naturally and creates this haze of unlimited evil and Laurie gives it the body it needs to keep you on the edge of your seat. Not one moment you doubt his commitment to evil, his willingness to do anything to serve his self interest. A chilling performance.
Tom Huddleston is as excellent as Laurie in his role, the night manager turned operative. His chess playing on multiple boards, the quiet persistence to eek out a win for the team, his empathy for those close to him set him off against his counterpart; his willingness to go all in are just as unforgiving as Ropers, Hugh Laurie's character.
All the way till the end you are at the edge of your seat, rooting for Pine (Tom's character) but also strangely for tricky Dicky Roper. Thats maybe the only flaw I can find in this otherwise flawless series: Evil is so humane, just a business man who proves to be very good at what he does. That happens to be arms dealing, but you can't help to admire his skill set to be on the wire playing high stakes poker all the way till the end.
Beautifully shot, great story arc, great actors and absolutely well worth a second viewing!
Fatman (2020)
I think they nailed it! ~ Am I that different or just less hung up on icons? I hope and fear the latter
Mel Gibson is absolutely marvelous as grumpy ruffled and almost human Santa. I love the fact Santa is in a mixed race marriage and I am impressed with the consistency of the storyline of society's single focus on ROI and his grappling with that fact. Only when Santa decides to play by his own rules, things turn around for the better. And he decides to get proactive to "change the mind" of this one kid who sent out an assassin to take him out, basically fire-n-brimstones him into obedience.
The characters are so well done, the little brat played by Chance Hurstfield who does an awesome job, so does Walton Goggins, the hit-man who holds a grudge which runs far deeper than the superficial artifact he carries with him, that one present that ticked him off.
You have to enjoy black comedy, and you have to relate to the no holds barred critique of our present day economy/society entwined in a death spiral. Or at leastbe willing to humor that thought as the premise for this movie. If you can do that, then this movie becomes a warning tale and a beacon of hope at the same time and I loved it for that reason. That and the boldness of the scenes.
Especially loved the tip-hat to the classic western "shootout at the OK corral"-like battle between good and evil. And the easily acquired suspension of disbelief when Santa is resurrected after he is gunned down where he basically lost the battle, to come out on top and use his injuries to put the little bastard in his place while quoting scripture or a poetic licensed version of it: "By my hand, you will know the consequence of your actions!"
In short, what an epic movie!! If you can let go of your ides-fixes of how e.g. Religion should be depicted (don't forget, Santa is a Coca Cola invention) I think you will agree with me and love this movie for what it is: a dark mirror.
I thoroughly enjoyed it for everything it tries to be, what it tries to convey and the fact it succeeds on all these accounts! Highly recommended!
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Late to the game, but what an epic epoch!
I watched the extended version of a meager 3.5 hours. Having seen snippets of the movie when it came out on DVD and friends were watching it, I couldn't be bothered. I had read so many fantasy books over the years, and generally I tended to be disappointed by any novel that was made into a movie, for instance most of the adapted masterpieces written by Stephen King are mediocre at best; Only later I was able to enjoy adaptations, first one that comes to mind is Birdy with Nicholas Cage.
Back to Fantasy, I had given Tolkien a try when I was too young, collapsing under its' volume. Later I reread it and loved it, so given the effort I put into it, I didnt wat it to be tainted by a sub par undertaking. And yes the raving reviews were pretty much in my face, but when time goes on, well, you know... That.
So now, in 2022 I took the time to watch it, be it in parts as I don't have 3.5 hours to spare anymore unfortunately, and it was overwhelmingly beautiful! It is so long and there is so much to tell, that it borders on tedious at times, but the investment is so big you have to finish, you can't let it go! And the payoff is massive, and I have to say the most human among the fellowship, the human played by Sean Bean, brought tears to my eyes. I even had to gasp for air, what a performance! Amazingly well done.
Over 20 years later, and the movie is still rock solid, nothing waned, not the visual effects, not the vision of all the different worlds, nothing looks out of whack, but spot on and suspending disbelief is not a thing at all, throughout the entire length of the movie. You are there, with them.
I have to tip my hat to Peter Jackson, and curse him at the same time. If the other two parts are as well done, I'm afraid I will have a massive sleep deprivation issue once done.
Knight and Day (2010)
it just barely banked a 6 instead of a 5 thánks to rather than depsite the stock aitken & waterman approach
I have seen Cameron Diaz in several movies, and other than being pretty much the absolute poster-child for the pritty girl/romantic interest there is hardly ever anything more than that empty vessel she brings to the table. And that annoys me, because it is clear she can do so much better. It is simply settling for the role of pretty girl who is taught to be lazy, cash in on her looks (babyface lolita airhead kind of charm) and simply skate through life. Ugh...
Funny enough this is exactly why the SA&W approach saves the movie; she can go through the motions without doing too much damage, Tom Cruise is his usual over the top self and takes the mickey out of his own well versed genre. And that is what makes this movie palpable.
To end on a high note regarding Cameron Diaz: I liked her in "The holiday", I didn't remember her role in "Being John Malcovich", the fact she is in there is a point in her favor. I looked it up, she was not in the way. But most of all I actually loved her in "She's the one". A marvelous movie, where she used her disadvantage as pretty girl to her advantage; Absolutely smashing. But then again, I loved Hurlyburly. So my taste is not everybody's...
Best Sellers (2021)
A NINE! Solely carried by the powerhouse that is Michael Caine
He might as well have been all by himself, with simple puppeteering to support him. Might even have been stronger an effect but possibly too theatrical for a movie.
Ik don't care how mediocre (it really wasn't, but thats what I read here and there) the storyline is. It is a human interaction, a story trying to display real people, no matter how imaginary. And when most of the actors get a passing grade for Hallmark level performances, Michael Caine was riveting, in your face, real! The entire movie depended on his availability to pull along an entire cast of unintented parodies of actors who couldn't find the right line if they tripped over it. But all that doenst matter! Just strap in for a ride of your life with a man who can do nothing else than excel in his job, portraying emotions, telling stories, making characters come to life. I haven't checked how old he is, but clearly that doesnt matter either.
I was glued to my seat the entire time, and even despite the Hallmark ending, bells and whistles and everything, you will take that for granted as a soft landing out of an emotional and epic homerun by Michael Caine. Sit back and enjoy, in awe of some of the greats we are still surrounded by and who grant us their time and effort to tell stories their way, the only way. Damn. It was really that good. Trust me.
Our Time Machine (2019)
Emotional masterpiece, honest, raw, yet soft on the touch, velvet soul piercing
What a masterpiece this movie is! It is so much more than one movie, or a documentary. Don't read too many reviews, just take the plunge and let yourself be engulfed in awe, love, patience, honesty and above all, art in its most truthful form: inspiration from pending loss, the promise of a gift and the realization of both. It was beautifully strung together, many times I heard myself exclaim involuntarily my admiration for the director Yang Sun, his real name but within this context almost interchangeable with young son, which is almost too romantic given the topic. But he is for real and his commitment to this journey from his subject and protagonist Maleonn, who is creating this theater piece Our Time Machine for his father is breathtaking; both emotionally, internally, and as a story teller, externally, is so concise, so full of love for the story, you can't just but watch, mesmerized and overwhelmed in a grateful way. And you will be touched! Deep, no holds barred, but with the sensitive touch of a dreamer and the ravaging skills of an artisan. Both Maleonn and the director tell their respective stories, one from within and another as a witness; This combination of his storytelling with the absolutely overpowering emotional prowess, honesty and artistry of Maleonn makes this an absolute tenner! Highly, Highly recommended!!
The score by Paul Brill is amazing as well, underscoring every step of the way as significant, while maintaining the richness of variation in the supporting soundtrack to be constantly on point, never in the way but exactly the opposite: it elevates it to a dreamed reality, yet as real as our normal lives but even more visceral, more focused on the continuous flow of their "now". What a thrill ride!
Easily entering my top 20 of "my" (as in opinion, not property) best movies of all time!
The Tomorrow War (2021)
Some unbelieveable plot holesin an otherwise stomachable movie
Chris Pratt can carry a movie. And the acting was actually quite decent from the entire cast. And the traveling through time to find support prior to the invasion is quite epic. All the social structures it depends on, the bureaucracy, technocratic solutions etc. Are quite believable. There are a few major plot holes, or way too in your face antics to only draw out a fight that could easily have been solved in a smarter, more eloquent way than they did here.
He has beef with his father, but walks out because he is challenged to a cock fight? While his entire livelihood is hanging on a string? Sure.
Assignment to safe some lab rats are being jeopardized by the guy with the most experience in the field, and while other colleagues are being mulled by the thousands, he decides to delay a crucial exercise to bring these scientists to safety to work on solutions they need in order to win. Sigh.
They know the queen communicates with her subordinates, yet they bring here to the only place safe from these hordes of hounds from hell, showing them the way to the one place safe, although why at sea, as clearly they can swim...?!
Killing the queen bee would have been a smart move, he was being sent back to the present past with the serum they had now, no time to create more, and his daft now professional daughter who leads the team of scientists says no because... ? I have no clue of any sensible reason why, the entire world is crawling with these horse size snappers, overstaying their welcome like cockroaches, they are at the gate and to create time to reach the chopper you kill the f#cker. Right? Wrong...
Than the time travel. He goes back in time, with the serum, he is not going back to this place, as they explained the time jump is like a train cart, riding the time track, so the time spent in the future is time lost at home and vice versa. His major worry should be to get the serum back in one piece to get rid of these bugs, even more so now his daughter fell of the rig, yet he decides to dive into that cesspool of killer bugs in a futile and lethal attempt to safe his daughter who will have an entirely different life once he gets back to his own present to prevent the whole cluster f#ck from happening. What?!
So these are some of the things that bugged me, no pun intended. But if you can suspend your disbelief, or push it down when it rears its ugly (beautiful) head every time a story arch decision is made that is sketchy at best, it is quite the enjoyable movie! Well made, I love. JK Simmons, Chris Pratt, again, he can act off of just about everybody. The first quarrel, though lousily apologetic to stretch the narrative, is actually some great acting of both the men!
So shut down your critical thinking and enjoy the ride. It IS worth it, despite the poor executive decisions that were made to screw up this movie, thanks to the actors and the interesting story line it survives.
The Town (2010)
Ben Affleck marvelous director, Jeremy Renner amazing actor
I always have a haphazzard approach to movies with Ben Affleck in it, if he is not the director himself. I don't know what it is, or why, but his acting performances are sub par compared to his stellar performances in his own movies. Yet at the same time I love watching him, he is easy on the eyes, and I don't mean 2 dimensional. At all. He conveys a relatable personality, indifferent of what kind of movie he plays in. Great voice, yes of course good looks, he mostly oozes quiet strength or something? Maybe more the chops from actors of old, like Mitchum and the likes.
But as soon as he has the script as director, something changes. I love his movies, how he tells stories, the realism and maybe it is the rhythm he can dictate that suits him better, maybe because he is an accomplished author contrived sentences are hell for him and get in the way of his acting when he is not in charge? I don't know. All I know is as soon as I see his name as director, I know I will be experiencing cinematic art, true story telling. The Town was no exception!
Jeremy Brenner... There is this new-ish crop of actors, and it seems to be seasonal, tidal even, that new batches of marvelous actors float to the top. And Renner is of the same batch that gave us Colin Farrell, a few years earlier Pitt, and dicaprio coming of age, to name a few. The list is arbitrary, you will be able to list others who entered the fray around 2002. To me at least it seems I jump on actor bandwagons batch wise, it never seems a continuous process. Anyway, Jeremy Renner is one of these actors who pull crowds, translate the times they live in, or breath the kind of acting we resonate on, and in this movie he shines like a black hole, a black diamond, a necessary danger that will more and more get out of control and you simply can't look away.
The entire cast is a pleasure to be immersed in throughout the movie, they all are convincing and not a second a dissonance disturbs the story telling. Loved every minute of it, the real relationships, the survival tactics of people without hope struggling to get on top all in their own dysfunctional ways and barely coping.
Very well done!
Palmer (2021)
Amazing... Well written, great acting, and gutwrenchingly honest
I don't know if all the possible realities portrayed are as common or as valid as real life often shows us, but within the logic and the narrative of the story, all the emotions were so human, and so relatable, I cried a few times troughout the movie. No emotional blackmail, but real human interaction with the ordeal of the characters. That was very powerful.
Juno temple really took my breath away with her performance as the mother of Sam. The moment she realizes she has to hand over custody of her own son, who she is hurting by being her incomplete self, the raw feeling of both courage and a cop-out, with all the inner turmoil knowing your kid is going to choose someone else over you, and you agree with that... I can't put into words what that does to me as a father, if I would be in that circumstance it would kill me, it would rip my heart out. And it is such a powerful moment.
Not a moment you feel pressured in taking sides, on the contrary. I oftentimes felt quartered by my constantly shifting loyalty between the different protagonists in this movie, and the struggles they went through. Justin Timberlake is a great actor, Ryder Allen is marvelous and does such a great job at being both vulnerable and unwaveringly true to himself and the chemistry between the two is so well captured, I can go on and on. There are definitely some classical all American standards that might put you off in any other film, but in this it is the string of pearls of real moments and real emotions that hold the movie together and overshadow any shortcomings in the peripheral story lines. Go watch the movie. Well worth the investment, mainly the emotional kind.
The Guard (2011)
Black comedy, put me on the wrong foot off the bat, to turn into best movie I've watched in a long time
What a marvelous movie this is! Don Cheadle is an actor I simply can't get enough of, his acting chops, his presence, his voice, it all adds up to roles that are convincing and always elevating the movies he is in up just that one notch. This movie is no different, and his performance is met and outrun by Brendan Gleeson.
the movie starts with cementing the protagonist's character as an irish local flatfoot of sorts, quaint, washed up beatnik, and I was afraid it would be 90 minutes low brow humor, something I can't stomach, just not my cop a tea. So I shut it off, wondering how I could be so wrong knowing these two actors were in it... Next day I started the movie again where I had left off to see if I was mistaken, and man, what a pleasant surprise the movie had in store for me! If I would have waited 1 minute longer before cutting it short, I would have seen Don Cheadle entering the scene. And ss soon as the interaction between these two giants hits off, I haven't stopped laughing, thoroughly enjoying all the little moments to take advantage off, yet at the same time the movie is littered with beautifully shot claustrophobic intense moments that give the movie enough gravitas to elevate it beyond just a comedy, black or otherwise.
The tension is not in the arch of the story but in both the interplay between the two actors and between the claustrophobic and the most often black yet relieving comedy. Beautifully balanced, beautifully shot. There is a 360 somewhere in the movie that sits so well in the moment, so simple yet powerful it took my breath away and that is just one example of an entire string of choices for either a great line, a look, a moment or collage that made this movie a piece of art. There is one moment where Don Cheacle's character, after a frustrating day of being completely invisible to the locals hiding in their irishness, he chats up a horse trying to lift the dead weight of the day. Of course not getting any usable response from the horse, he says: "you don't speak any english either, huh?!" pauses, and then does this stress relief we all do when our cup is overflowing, making lip bubbles. This makes us all so human, but at the same time, being in front of the horse, without milking it (although quite on the nose as it is) he almost seems to salute the horse. Very funny.
All in all a great movie, absolutely recommended!
The Informer (2019)
Crime drama at its best: Great plot, GREAT actors, great execution!
I loved this movie! The main character really carries the movie, but there is not one weak link in the entire enterpise! A fabulous cast, beautifully gritty filmed, and the fight scenes are so real, dirty and reptile brain level survival mode, I actually had to adjust to it, but man, what a movie!! Well worth your time!!
Demolition (2015)
Devistating loneliness in grief, and the guts it takes to embrace that suffocating emptiness
The movie averages out at a 7, which I think is underrated. The most profound feeling I get from this movie, thanks to the (of course) magnificent acting of Jake Gyllenhaal, is the loneliness grief enforces on you. The main character has no idea what hit him, and only at the end he realizes how the pieces fit together, for him, for his love for his wife, for his guilt, his emotional desolation and inability to find the beginning strand of his emotional fabric, and only at the end he is able to fully unravel his emotions, giving him room to breath, honor the people wjho earleir seemed to be obstructing him, while they themselves had their own isolated grief to wade trough to the other end. And they all had enough screen time to share their process of grief, the layers and mutual expectations and projections, and the magnifying effect it had on their pain, being confronted with the others' mutually incomprehensible ways of dealing with that terrible loss.
It is hard to describe, but having gone through a devastating loss myself, (Quote in the movie: "what do you call a parent who lost a child? There is no word for that... " Heartbreaking and overwhelmingly true) there is not one moment in the movie that felt convoluted, it never lost track of the path it was on despite all the different character developments, it never rang false or overreaching, never artificially trying to tear-jerk its' way out of a profound moment. It was honest, funny as hell the way only grief can make you feel, like a bipolar disorder taking over your personality. Everything had its' place, nothing felt fabricated and all the characters had one or more reasons to be there, to tell their story throughout the movie.
I didnt give it a 9 because of the ending, which was beautiful, but slightly too American for my taste. Not the bit where he finally could share his grief with his father in law, that was Jake at his best in the movie, but the few minutes to wrap up the movie. Don't worry, you will easilly survive, and it reaches back to a strand earlier in the movie, so it fits the purpose well. Just a little too much sugar. Still easilly an 8, without breaking a sweat! Highly recommended.
Wind River (2017)
Under the radar low key real and overwhelmingly beautiful
I lost my daughter at birth, a still born gift. So I know existential pain, what it feels like when your soul bottoms out and sorrow that never leaves your side. This movie is so incredibly real in its raw emotions, the need to look away from the black hole in front of you because otherwise you will lose the will to live, the devastating effect such a loss has on your relationship, most of which don't make it after such a loss. And the need to look your grief in the eyes in order to survive and to be able to be with the one you lost, to be able to remember her. The author must have experienced loss himself to be able to build a narrative so up close with the hard and cold loneliness of grief, the inability to share when you are grieving, and only being able to reach out once that black thick wave has subsided. And the acting is sublime, the score is so fitting, scenery is amazing. All wrapped up in a pace of storytelling that seemingly gives you time to catch your breath yet often times so overwhelmingly intense you forget to breathe.
So well worth it, what a gift...
Honey Boy (2019)
Just watch it for the kid and it will be time well spent!
Noah Jupe is amazing. Shia LaBeouf Is incredible, but the kid is mesmerizing! I really don't want to sell short the current older version of him, Lucas Hedges. As the vessel for the traumatic experiences of his younger self he had to play the canvas, the backdrop against which the story could unfold. But man, that kid, now still only 15, is the dark matter of the movie.
Shia LaBeouf wrote this autobiographical work and played his own father, the reason why he got in that dark place to begin with, so I can't even begin to fathom what this must have done to him, and quite possibly and more importantly, for him, emotionally. And to go through that and being able to deliver a movie of this intensity, this level of reality and honesty towards his inner demons, must have been the spirit that haunted all the other actors. Shia LaBeouf created a masterpiece, and his work gave Noah wings. But the kid (sorry kid calling you kid, but you were, and still are) still had to do the flying all by himself, while the owner of those demons was watching, and judging. As an artist, more than a human being I reckon as that is what happens when you deep dive into a creative process. And that is possibly even potentially worse to deal with because you now are being judged on both your humanity and your professionalism as an actor, by someone go could overstep his boundaries and still operate well within his as he might act as judge, jury and executioner and still be well within his right from a creative process point of view.it would play out badly for the movie if you wouldn't trust the actors you hired for the job but this would be a uphill battle for anyone! Yet Shia LaBeouf focused solely on his own part and played off against the kid like he has been a pro for centuries. And Noah outdid everybody, including the mastermind behind this art piece.
The vulnerability exploded off the screen and made this an epic masterpiece which I will be rewatching several times!
The Poison Rose (2019)
Not really an 8, yet really an 8
What a weird movie this was. The story was a homage it seemed to the movies of yesteryear, and compared to the whatever comic book blockbuster, this is a treat, a change of pace, also literally.
I'm not a director, so I can't speak from experience how hard it must be to make an epic movie. This movie though shows how hard it is, to make an epic movie. Scattered throughout the movie there are performances and moments, sometimes even scenes, that are a feast for the eyes and ears, and even for the soul. John Travolta is mostly great, and hen suddenly there are moments a scene sunk even below B rated movie levels, with too much kitsch in both dialogue and scenes, which were almost too bad to stomach. And then there is Brandon Fraser. I had to look twice, not trusting my eyes. But there he was! Solid as a rock, together with Morgan Freeman, who wasn't even on autopilot! And even if he had been, it would have been fine. Not great, but fine nonetheless. But he was giving a solid performance as the scrupulous bad guy, southern style. Famke Janssen was decent, but not good enough to deliver gems within her role; but maybe I'm too strict with her being a fellow Dutch(wo)man.
I utterly enjoyed the film, and I even enjoyed the deliberate chugging along of me with the film going from one gem to the next all the way to the end. And at moments I caught myself not observing anymore and actually being submerged in the story. Those were the icings on the cake.
If you are able to look through or beyond some of the lesser performances (and there are some), you actually have a vehicle for those actors to shine, and for us to enjoy. And those moments are so good, it pulls the movie all the way up to an 8, for me that is. Loved the whole experience!
I Hate the Man in My Basement (2020)
What a beautifully weird movie!
I came here to check the comments, to see if people had the same experience watching this movie but to my astonishment it got stuck at a meager 5.3! Even though I know nothing is as erratic as taste, this is just downright wrong!
There are some characters in the movie who are slightly in the way, but would be missed if they weren't there, the rest of the cast is on point, and for a long time I was convinced the guy he hates was his own alter-ego. The way it was filmed hinted at that, for me at least. To learn it was the real deal, and his new girlfriend finds out about that, is such a strong moment...
And I know, scenes that seem stale at face value, if you strip them from the context of the movie, you could possibly have an opinion on them. But the story is simply a vehicle to convey deep scarring emotions, and in that light it is completely irrelevant if that scene is not entirely original.
It is the emotional journey, combined with your discovery of what happened to him, to his wife, and how it currently is destroying his life from the inside out, what makes it the real story that it is. And his new lease on life slipping through his fingers, almost, simply because he went down the rabbit hole of hate and parallel to it, his situation spiraling out of control exactly because simultaneously he is trying to get back on his feet again in the real world, is so powerful, it took my breath away. And to make it even more a dream state you are carried into, that real world felt like his second life and his basement his first. I loved every minute of it!
Really powerful stuff. Well worth the watch. More than that. You rob yourself of a overwhelming experience of you skip this movie.